Yesterday THQ and Games Workshop announced their plans to work together on new projects, including a Warhammer 40K MMOG. Gamespot had an opportunity to speak with Kelly Flock, Executive Vice President at THQ and Andy Jones, Games Workshop’s head of group legal and licensing;

Gamespot: Now that the deal has been signed, could you tell us about the status of a 40,000 massively multiplayer game? Is one in development? Has THQ found a development studio to partner with? Or would it produce the game in-house?

Kelly Flock: Yes, we have the game in development at our Austin-based studio, Vigil Games. The team there is led by David Adams, formerly of NCsoft, and is comprised of several MMO veterans from that community. We look forward to making further announcements with more specifics on the game in the coming months.

Read the full interview here (http://www.gamespot.com/news/6166560.html?tag=topslot;title;1)

GnomerBreltik

03-01-2007, 09:39 AM

Warhammer 40k fans have been waiting for something like this ever since star wars galaxies was announced. Seems that games workshop and THQ are following the WoW business plan, make a good RTS game that has a strong following (dawn of war) then roll that into an MMO. The fact that games workshop and the warhammer games have been around since the late 70s means it has a strong pen and paper following anyway, so this and Warhammer online could start chipping away at the mountain that is world of warcraft.

QforQ

03-01-2007, 10:30 AM

One thing about this though has me wondering....why did they give the IP to an unknown development team to make? "Vigil"s website has practically no information at all on it and it's a brand new development company. Why would they give such a big IP to company like that?

Doesn't seem smart to me, and it could end up like another The Matrix Online...green developers with poor planning creating a lame game.

Dirtch

03-01-2007, 11:28 AM

Who knows! But I'm glad there will be MMOGs to compete with WoW.

As much as I like new IPs over established IPs, the games based off of something else like WoW and Warhammer/Warhammer 40k bring in players who never would have played MMOGs anyway. I know almost all my friends from high school vehemently said they'll never play an MMOG; that was before World of Warcraft came out. Soon as WoW hit they were all in-game.

What does this mean for new IPs, like Vanguard? Once fans--depending on the quality of the game that drew them in--will start to look at MMOGs as a whole. They'll start to weigh options, they'll start to realize what they want out of a game and look for it. If WoW, WAR, Warhammer 40k, AoC, LOTRO, etc. get tired of it, need to have a new challenge or just want a change that's when the new IPs will soak it up. Hopefully the best of them will join Vanguard, though :D

Mr_bloodworth

03-01-2007, 11:33 AM

Who knows! But I'm glad there will be MMOGs to compete with WoW.

As much as I like new IPs over established IPs, the games based off of something else like WoW and Warhammer/Warhammer 40k bring in players who never would have played MMOGs anyway. I know almost all my friends from high school vehemently said they'll never play an MMOG; that was before World of Warcraft came out. Soon as WoW hit they were all in-game.

What does this mean for new IPs, like Vanguard? Once fans--depending on the quality of the game that drew them in--will start to look at MMOGs as a whole. They'll start to weigh options, they'll start to realize what they want out of a game and look for it. If WoW, WAR, Warhammer 40k, AoC, LOTRO, etc. get tired of it, need to have a new challenge or just want a change that's when the new IPs will soak it up. Hopefully the best of them will join Vanguard, though :D

Please be a sandbox, skillbased game ..ala SWG pre-CU. I can hope cant i?

deejrandom

03-01-2007, 02:14 PM

Well didn't I read that the company was founded by someone from NCsoft? I'm sure they wouldn't give the IP to a company that didn't have at least a few people that had worked on an MMO before...

We'll see if it is a "sandbox" game or no.

VerianDarkstar

03-01-2007, 03:22 PM

Please be a sandbox, skillbased game ..ala SWG pre-CU. I can hope cant i?

Yes, you can dream, but my advice is don't get your hopes up. The Warhammer games are about one thing. War. Killing lots and lots of your enemies, and then killing some more. Of all of the IP out there, it is hard for me to think of any that would be less suited toward a sandbox style of play. I mean, can you imagine a Chaos Marine dancing and crafting and furnishing his home? Didn't think so.

Blood for the blood god, and all that.

Growlsalot

03-01-2007, 03:26 PM

Yes, you can dream, but my advice is don't get your hopes up. The Warhammer games are about one thing. War. Killing lots and lots of your enemies, and then killing some more. Of all of the IP out there, it is hard for me to think of any that would be less suited toward a sandbox style of play. I mean, can you imagine a Chaos Marine dancing and crafting and furnishing his home? Didn't think so.

Blood for the blood god, and all that.

WAR (Fantasy warhammer MMO) isnt level based from what I hear, rather its skill based. Dont quote me on that but Im sure I read it somewhere. No reason WH40k couldnt be either. Anyways just my 2cp worth.

Blackmyst

03-01-2007, 03:27 PM

Wonder what EA/Mythic thinks about this ?

VerianDarkstar

03-01-2007, 05:51 PM

WAR (Fantasy warhammer MMO) isnt level based from what I hear, rather its skill based. Dont quote me on that but Im sure I read it somewhere. No reason WH40k couldnt be either. Anyways just my 2cp worth.

Oh, I didn't mean to suggest that the game had to be level based. If all that one means by "sandbox" is a skill-based system, then yes, I think that could happen. I guess when I think of sandbox, I think of a "go live a life" type game. While I liked the skill based system in SWG, what made it really special was the support for entertainers, doctors (in hospitals!), camps (with tents!), player cities, lots of clothing options, amazing interdependent crafting and harvesting system, etc, and choices about what role (if any) to play in the Galactic Civil War. There were a lot of things to do and a lot of ways to interact with other players. The Warhammer 40K universe is a rich setting, but I don't think it would cater to that wide-open style of gameplay. The Warhammer games are entirely focused on one thing -- conflict between well-defined sides. If you are Eldar, you can't just decide to go join the Space Marines. What you can do is go kill enemies of the Eldar in various entertaining and gruesome ways. Whether you will gain levels or skill points in the process is unknown :)

Traldan

03-01-2007, 06:33 PM

Sigil Games vs. Vigil Games!

:p

deejrandom

03-02-2007, 01:30 AM

Sigil Games vs. Vigil Games!

:p

*in the movie trailer guy voice*

The gauntlet has been thrown; the fight has begun. Who will win this epic battle between two similarly named Companies? One side has graphics and a really large world..the other side has a really big gun.

Only time will tell who

will win

The ultimate MMO SHOWDOWN!

*insert cool explosions, quick sucession of battle scenes where Characters from both games are fighting, and a final exposion*

Coming to a PC near you!

Ellessar

03-02-2007, 05:58 AM

Oh, I didn't mean to suggest that the game had to be level based. If all that one means by "sandbox" is a skill-based system, then yes, I think that could happen. I guess when I think of sandbox, I think of a "go live a life" type game. While I liked the skill based system in SWG, what made it really special was the support for entertainers, doctors (in hospitals!), camps (with tents!), player cities, lots of clothing options, amazing interdependent crafting and harvesting system, etc, and choices about what role (if any) to play in the Galactic Civil War. There were a lot of things to do and a lot of ways to interact with other players. The Warhammer 40K universe is a rich setting, but I don't think it would cater to that wide-open style of gameplay. The Warhammer games are entirely focused on one thing -- conflict between well-defined sides. If you are Eldar, you can't just decide to go join the Space Marines. What you can do is go kill enemies of the Eldar in various entertaining and gruesome ways. Whether you will gain levels or skill points in the process is unknown :)

I understand your point, but at the same time I do think that a sandbox approach, similar to SWG pre-CU, is possible.

Take a page from the SWG play book. Everyone essentially starts off as neutral and you decide from there which banner, if any you are going to follow. I would imagine, that for the sake of simplicity and enjoyability, there would be only two sides. Those sides being "good" and "evil". WAR, the upcomming fantasy Warhammer MMO, only has two sides.

Similar to SWG you could have an "overt" and "covert" status to your factional affiliation. You might serve the dark gods, but you might not make that public knowledge every moment of the day. This way players of opposing sides could still interact with each other.

Under those two over-arching sides you could include most of the factions we know and love from the 40k universe. Basically you could include most of the familar races. You could have humans, eldar, and tau. You might also throw in Ogryns, ratlings, and squats (I refuse to believe they are a dead race). Orc might be a bit difficult race to include from a canon stand point. While all the races I listed could potentially work together as either agents of order or chaos, the orcs don't really mesh well as good guys. You could include them as an "evil" only race, or you could stretch 40k canon a bit and have a few good eggs out of the lot so to speak. Tyranids would have to be non-playable as I couldn't possibly imagine a way to make them playable. Necron would likley have to be the same as non-playable.

Is this a bit of a stretch of 40k canon? Yes, but whenever you go about making an MMO based upon an existing IP you can't be a canon nazi. You try your best to stick with canon, but your first priority is to make an enjoyable game. From my perspective enjoyable MMOs include the following:

To put it simply: When you logged into SWG (pre-NGE), you felt like you had just entered a living virtual universe. When you log into WoW you feel like you are logging into a game. I much prefer the former rather than the latter. I would love to see another sci-fi MMO come along and pick up where SWG left off. I'm a huge fan of 40k and I would hope this one would be it. I don't need another MxO or RF Online. I want something beyond the normal WoW style MMO experience. 40k would be an ideal venue for it.

Derf

03-02-2007, 12:17 PM

Unfortunately this game could just as easily be a RTS MMO, and that would fit more into what Warhammer is about. Unfortunately there are very little details, so I personally am not getting excited until I know more. Even if I don't like what the final product is I hope that it has enough success to get other publishers to create sci-fi based MMOs.

GnomerBreltik

03-04-2007, 05:57 PM

Tyranids would have to be non-playable as I couldn't possibly imagine a way to make them playable.

Back in 2nd edition War40k they had genestealer cults who were humans that have genetically altered by the 'seed' of a scout genestealer. This cult would have half human half stealer hybrids that would help instill chaos and disorder before the arrival of the tyranid broodhorde.

I think an open sided game would be neat, but I dont see that happening when you have such strong sides such as chaos and the imperium. Its a very orderly and regimented.

On the skill note, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay was also based on 'careers' like the upcoming fantasy mmo is. It had no actual levels, you could upgrade your stats depending on your career choice.

rabb1t

03-04-2007, 06:21 PM

WAR (Fantasy warhammer MMO) isnt level based from what I hear, rather its skill based.

Mostly. They are ranking it, and there will be 4 ranks.

Wonder what EA/Mythic thinks about this ?

Me too. It seems odd they wouldn’t give them 40k as well. I guess they are separate intellectual properties though, and as that article points out THQ holds the 40k licencing.

(This may actually be the reason why EA Mythic got the Fantasy licence in the first place.)

Unfortunately this game could just as easily be a RTS MMO, and that would fit more into what Warhammer is about.

I am personally guessing it will be close to the Tabula Rasa style.

Unfortunately there are very little details, so I personally am not getting excited until I know more.

We are likely looking at about 2 years before anything resembling real details get released.

Leara

03-09-2007, 10:55 AM

I guess it really suits more into the FPS-MMO scene...

as Tabularasa will be more RPG/small group oriented, WH40k should be more masscombat oriented like Planetfall or the upcoming Huxley.

Problem is WH40k spans vast space and an incredible number of planets. It would do no honor to the background to just limit the game to one planet or just one "solarsystem".
So in the end... a WH40k MMO needs a lot considering in background and freedom of choice for the player.
Make a huge spacespanning, multiplanetal MMO, with players running headlessly around searching for groups to join, to do just the smallest of quests (end the Genestealer-infestion on planet xxy-Prime) or do a Necromunda-style one planet/one city skrimishing game.

Just a note, Squats were dumped by the company a while back, and before they took down the 40k official forums, it was bannable to even bring them up in a post. I doubt we will see squats again (space dwarves for those not in the know).

Suraknar

04-22-2007, 02:03 AM

Just a note, Squats were dumped by the company a while back, and before they took down the 40k official forums, it was bannable to even bring them up in a post. I doubt we will see squats again (space dwarves for those not in the know).

Its a pity, I used to play lots of EPIC Space Marines, I still have a huge army of Squats!

back on topic thought,

Is this a bit of a stretch of 40k canon? Yes, but whenever you go about making an MMO based upon an existing IP you can't be a canon nazi. You try your best to stick with canon, but your first priority is to make an enjoyable game. From my perspective enjoyable MMOs include the following:

To put it simply: When you logged into SWG (pre-NGE), you felt like you had just entered a living virtual universe. When you log into WoW you feel like you are logging into a game. I much prefer the former rather than the latter. I would love to see another sci-fi MMO come along and pick up where SWG left off. I'm a huge fan of 40k and I would hope this one would be it. I don't need another MxO or RF Online. I want something beyond the normal WoW style MMO experience. 40k would be an ideal venue for it.

Well, some people (8 million of them) seems like what they want is to play a game. Not everyone wants to take part in a virtual universe.

That being said, I agree with your list, and I think, that if WOW is successfull it is because they found the best approach to level based gaming.

Level based, is suposed to be a game, if one wants to create a living virtual world - it has to be skill based.

Gobbwin

05-10-2007, 08:37 AM

IMHO, I think it would be quite easy for them to do a skill based pre-CU SWG style of game, so long as they included the 'realm' type perspective of DAOC. This would allow you to choose a race that sets your 'realm' <read who you are perma-KOS to, regardless of where you are>. As it is all about war, I definately forsee massive open ended FFA brawls where all opposing factions are instantly flagged as killable the first moment they enter the area. The choice is ultimately up to the players if opposing factions want to work together (read chaos marines and imperial guard wiping out some eldar, etc).

Once you've chosen a race, you could be whatever you wanted to be. Remember that the 40k universe is massive and very dynamic. For example, a human could be:

- a politician of multiple ranks (including a plantary leader)
- an Imperial Guardsman of multiple ranks
- an Inquisitor (likely more of an expansion item rather than at initial release)
- a rogue trader (both planetary or inter-galatic)
- an artisin/crafter type (Adeptus Mechanicus)
- a noble/aristocrat (while most likely political based, this could be a land owner type role)

The eldar have three distinct casts (warrior, artisin, or farseers?) with multiple factions within those that specialize towards one thing or another.

Orcs, while stupid, have multiple ranks and roles ranging from Waarboss to Mek boyz.

Depending on your flavor of Chaos, you could be any of the afore mentioned things or more magic based.

Hell even space marines have specializations that range from Librarians and Apothecaries to Tatical and Assault marines.

You could add all kinds of vehicles ranging from Dreadnaughts and main battle tanks to massive battleships and troop transports. This game has a lot of potential both in all of the background lore that is already in place as well as a massive fanbase. Lets just hope that they tap into that potential.